


The Importance of Timing

by Somedrunkpirate



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: First Meeting, Get Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 23:40:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11046762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somedrunkpirate/pseuds/Somedrunkpirate
Summary: Everyone in dreamshare has one file with all their information neatly organised and hidden away.Except for Eames. Eames has two.





	The Importance of Timing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [brookebond](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brookebond/gifts).



> So, timezones are tricky so I might call it too early, but Brookebond succeeded in her No Angst May month.
> 
> For those who didn't know: she was not allowed to write angst for a whole month. If she failed, I would write an Arthur character death fic. If she succeeded, I would have to write a pure fluff fic. 
> 
> She succeeded, and now I'm fucked. 
> 
> What you see here, is my first attempt. It did not succeed, but I've at least heard that it isn't angst and might even be cute? 
> 
> I wouldn't know, I'm an angst writer. I don't know how one does "fluff"
> 
> I tried. There will be other attempts.

 

Arthur has files on every single person he works with. Team members, dealers, clients. Important information is categorized and organised neatly and as such, the files are a revered source of information. No one quite knows the scope of dreamshare. Arthur’s secret archives are as close anyone gets.

Eames’ file starts two months before their first job together. Arthur throws himself into the research like he always does, writes down personal information that was skilfully hidden, but not well enough to deter Arthur.

He makes a job history for Eames: the successes, the failures, the mistakes. It’s important to know team members’ weaknesses as it means Arthur can compensate and compare. Hopefully they’ve learned from past mistakes, but if they haven’t, Arthur can fix their mess before it happens.

Unfortunately, preventing idiotic decisions spans most of his working hours. A side effect from being a pointman is losing his belief in the existence of competence, not out of ignorance, but from experience.

Eames’ main problem seems to be a combination of recklessness and work ethic. He’s run from jobs before, but Arthur concedes that the getaways had made some logical sense; the jobs had been disasters. Arthur is confident that Eames won’t run from their job, Arthur doesn’t do disasters.

So far there isn’t anything remarkable about Eames or Eames’ file. Arthur had chuckled at the real name Eames had tried to erase from existence. But other than that, it was business as usual.

Arthur puts the paper version of the file in his safe and a digital one on a usb. He doesn’t think about the file or Eames until the day before the job, when he packs his bag and rereads his researched information.

He chuckles again at the name, closes his laptop, and prepares for a flight to Hong Kong.

\--

The team is complete, except for one. Arthur isn’t surprised. _Work ethic problems._

So he informs the extractor that Eames is coming in a bit later; traffic, you know how it is.

The extractor, James – former sergeant, relatively trustworthy and has a history that consists of mostly straightforward jobs, ran out of the military when his daughter died in battle, he got away clean – grunts but nods and starts to gather the team. Arthur will have to get Eames up to speed when he deigns to show up.

He does, ten minutes later.

The rest of the team has scattered to their respective tasks. Arthur is almost ready to test the somnacin, he is rolling up his sleeve when Eames swaggers inside.

This is when the pieces fall into place.

Most files don’t have any pictures. Criminals try to be careful with residual information, and the eternity of digital pictures on the internet is something most of them avoid successfully. So the very first meeting is when Arthur has to recalibrate. Combine the textual information he had found with the physical form of the person in question. This is when someone goes from data to a human.

Eames is simultaneously a complete contradiction from his file, and a perfect representation of it.

The lack of work ethic is recognisable in the heavily patterned shirt he wears– no person who wears that takes his job or his life seriously. The runaway is there too. Eames embodies a survivalist, with his strong arms and bright clever eyes, a person who will cut his losses when the tone goes sour. But the rest, Arthur could have never predicted the rest.

James redirects Eames to Arthur, who sighs and clips the PASIV close again. The testing will have to be later.

Arthur stands up and meets Eames in the middle. He holds out his hand.

“Darling, you must be Arthur. I’ve heard loads about you,” Eames says, purring, while shaking his hand.

 _Endearments were not in the file_. Arthur decides to ignore it and move on.

“And you’re late,” Arthur replies dryly.

Eames flicks his eyes to James and back again. He smiles, smug and charming. A true forger’s smile. “I had some traffic, you know how it is.”

Arthur frowns and steps back. “I won’t cover your ass next time.”

“You can help me uncover it?” Eames leers, stepping closer into Arthur’s space.

Arthur blinks a couple of times, and steps back. “That was atrocious.”

“You liked it,” Eames says.

Arthur raises an eyebrow at him before launching into a short summary of the job. Eames lets him, watching him the entire time with an amused look in his eyes.

Arthur does everything to not let it distract him, but there is something about it, something about _him_ that puts Arthur on edge, and pulls him in at the same time.

They move on to test the somnacin together, and Eames shows off his skills. Arthur had known this, he knew Eames was high class, the best of the best. It’s all in the file. But he can’t help to be irrationally impressed anyway, almost flustered. Arthur has a deep appreciation for the art of dreamshare, as he can’t do it himself. Great architecture and forging demand a type of creativity and ingenuity he does not possess, so he takes to enjoying the company of those who do.

Eames embodies it. The artistry of his work springs off of him, as does his smug smile when Arthur schools his expression a second too late.

Arthur had been intrigued before, but now, after seeing _that_.

God help him. He is attracted.

And Eames, for all his smoke and mirrors, is clearly not unaffected himself.

\---

They find a rhythm in the job, a tentative friendship that grows into a highly functional partnership within 2 weeks of working together. Arthur is exhilarated. He has never met someone who he clicked with so easily. Mal was close, but Arthur always felt like he was a few steps behind her, always a little too slow, a little lost.

After a few scrapes, Arthur and Eames find a middle ground with coffee in the morning and enthusiastic brainstorming in the evening.

Arthur gets to know Eames wine-drunk and lovely, ranting about the Eiffel Tower and how it was hated when it first was built, and now is a part of their proud nationalism, when that same nationalism had thought it hateful in the first place.

He gets to know how Eames takes his coffee– never _ever_ the same thing twice. Eames opens up a world of caramel-cinnamon frappuccinos and dark roasted espressos with spices.

He learns about Eames’ favourite movies, places, foods– raspberries, bouillabaisse, and fish tacos from a truck in Los Angeles he can’t remember the name of anymore.

He tells Eames little pieces of himself in return, many more things than he means to. And as forgers are readers of non-verbal communication, he doesn’t know what else Eames picked up on.

When the job runs to a close, Arthur realises that this perfect little bubble they built will pop soon. He knows he can get Eames into bed with him, he knows they both want to. But it’s too soon just yet. Although it would be great and fantastic, Arthur wants something more long-lasting than a few enjoyable nights.

Eames is a social creature. These kinds of quick friendships are not something he will see as something exceptional, because he forges them so easily. Arthur has seen it himself. How Eames integrated himself within the rest of the team, built friendships with everyone, even James. Who Arthur didn’t know could speak about anything other than the job.

For Eames, their easy connection wasn’t as special, as magical, as it was for Arthur. But that is okay, Arthur can wait a bit. This is worth the wait.

They will work together more, they will have more time to make it solid and real for the both of them. Arthur won’t let this go by fleetingly, like spring flowers; achingly beautiful, but die out within a month or two. This is something he wants to treasure and that will take some patience, some time, some planning.

So when they say their goodbyes, Arthur rejects Eames’ offer.

“I don’t do dates after the first job, Mr Eames. I have higher standards than that,” he says pointedly, but he quirks up his mouth and makes sure his posture shows his teasing. Eames should not be deterred indefinitely.

Eames chuckles, his smile bright under the dark sky, the sun already set. They’ve been lingering, both reluctant to walk away.

“Well then, pet,” he says. “I’m looking forward to the next time we’ll work together.”

Arthur’s mouth twitches upward again. “Who says we’ll ever work together after this?”

“You did, multiple times,” Eames replies.

“I never said anything,” Arthur says.

“You don’t need to say it for me to see it, love,” Eames says and winks. “Until next time, my darling. I’ll ask again.”

“Until next time,” Arthur repeats. Eames walks away, whistling into the badly lit parking lot.

Arthur doesn’t look away until he’s gone. Then he sighs and rakes his hand through his hair.

Next time. Next time won’t be the time. But the right time will come, and when it does, Arthur will need to be prepared. So during his flight back home, he opens up his laptop and starts a new file.

Everyone in dream share that has ever worked or was in contact with Arthur has a file. In it, there is information everyone desperately tries to hide from the world, but everyone accepts that Arthur knows. It’s unavoidable; Arthur knows everything.

Everyone has one file with all their information. Singular.

Except for Eames. Eames has two.

Eames has the original file, the work file, that one is left somewhere in the dust. That file isn’t important anymore. Eames the forger, Eames the criminal, is too simplistic. Arthur keeps it for sentimental reasons, but doesn’t open it again.

Arthur needs a file on the Eames who calls Arthur his darling. Who is so sure that they will work together again. Who is charming and humorous and enthusiastic and someone Arthur sees himself spend the rest of his life with. In time. With time.

Eames’ second file starts with what Arthur has learned – raspberries, coffee's, favourite times of day, how he loves to paint, the interest in art history, the taco truck – and it grows and grows the more jobs they take together.

And after every single one of them, Eames asks him for dinner.

And after every single one of them, Arthur shakes his head and says “next time.”

Eames starts kissing him goodbye, after the first year. First on his finger tips, then on palm, then on his forehead, on his cheek.

Then finally, after two years of knowing each other, Eames steps closer, kisses Arthur achingly softly on his lips, and whispers in his ear, “Next time, darling. It’s going to be next time.”

And for the first time, Arthur nods.

Eames smiles radiantly as he pulls back. There is a slight bit of relief in his eyes and Arthur’s heart thuds.

It’s time, after the next job, it’s time.

Eames steps away. He is always the first one who walks away. Arthur always looks at him go.

Arthur nods at his back receding into the distance. His heart is racing. This feels right. They feel solid. This is going to work. Eames has waited long enough. They have waited long enough.

Arthur smiles to himself.

He has a file, Eames’ second file. The most important file of them all.

Arthur owes Eames a dinner, a date. Something to make up for the long wait. And Arthur knows everything about Eames, what he likes, what he wants to do.

Arthur is going to make sure Eames is going to have the best fucking night of his life. He has been doing research for two years.

And after that first date, that first night...

Well, Arthur has enough information to last them a lifetime, and he will learn much more along the line, too.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone has tips on how to write pure fluff, tell me. Please. I need those fluffy secrets. I might expand this fic once upon a time, but that will probably mean it will get angsty, so maybe I shouldn't 
> 
> Thank you Nonnie and Pigfarts for the beta! 
> 
> You'll see me next time, trying to write fluff with my blood soaked hands and my dark and rotten heart. 
> 
> Will this treacherous quest ever end in fluffy victory? Only the gods know.


End file.
